Today we’d like to introduce you to Yonni Wattenmaker
Hi Yonni, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am happy to do so. I have always had a love-hate relationship with food. I loved cooking alongside my mother and grandmother, and taking cooking classes with friends, but I feared what too much of it would do to my body. My self-confidence and sense of worth were somehow measured by how I felt I looked. Like so many women, I struggled with an eating disorder for many years, keeping it a secret for far too long. When I started working as a consultant for an addiction center in Los Angeles, I began using some of those tools to heal myself. In 2021, I advanced my education by becoming certified as an integrative nutritional health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I will complete a second certification in functional nutrition this summer. In 2024 I launched Yonni Health + Wellness.
When I was in my deepest battle with bulimia, I just wanted to feel like I was “enough.” In addition to the emotional trauma this wrought, I did a lot of damage to my body. After experimenting with various diets, some healthy and most not, a team of doctors told me the only way to heal my physical symptoms was to follow a vegan diet. This initially daunting way of life helped me to heal, mentally and physically. It changed my relationship with food. I learned to love cooking even more and it fueled my passion for helping others feel their best too.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I began coaching, I had a very full time job so finding time was challenging but gave me a way to build a sort of creative space and hone my skills.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Yonni Health + Wellness?
Yonni Health and Wellness, LLC is a personalized coaching business that allows me to work with patients to help them define and accomplish their health and wellness goals. For some that is weight loss, for others it is alleviating heart burn, recovering from cancer treatment and more. I use the tools I have in nutrition to help each client on their individual journey. There is no one size fits all when it comes to health so my approach is unique to each client and their needs. My typical strategy is to have a minimum of three sessions – intake, strategy and follow up. Some continue for longer as maintenance or to continue to make change, while others feel like the third session has set them well on their way. My services can be found at yonappetit.com and I offer health tips and healthy recipes alike on my Instagram: @yonappetit_healthcoach as well.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
With the rise, and success, of GLP1 and similar medications, fewer people are seeking health coaching because those drugs are targeting and alleviating many of their issues. I am an educator at heart, so I will continue to teach on my platforms because I believe in the impact we can e on have on our health with better decision making. I also co-host a new podcast, Her Health Compass (@herhealthcompass on Instagram) which is now streaming on platforms like Spotify and Apple podcasts, combining my experience in the health and wellness industry with advice from medical experts, cancer survivors and more.
I am not someone who tackles one endeavor at a time, so I am also a proud co-founder of On The Coast Property Group, LLC (www.onthecoastpg.com) based right here in Charleston. Creativity, connection and having fun are all priorities for me, so I have the pleasure of overseeing all concierge and event planning services for our clients, both for vacationers in the area and locals alike! Having both of these passions in my professional life makes it more full and enriching.
Pricing:
- $525 Personalized Coaching 3-session bundle
- $350 Initial Consult: single session if not bundled
- $100 Follow up sessions if not bundled or beyond the 3 in the bundle
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yonappetit.com
- Instagram: yonappetit_healthcoach
- Facebook: yonappetithealthcoach
